Bujinkan 15th Dan = 3 years of training of Non-Contact Kata + Dodging a Wooden Sword + 10 trips to Japan (usually one a year) after that. So you are looking for around 13 years of playing Ninja Kata for this rank.

There is some serious Booj vs. Booj infighting going on now for at least 4 years between these same folks; people taking exception to his rank and some Boojer even claiming "His real skill level is about 2nd kyu." Ouch.

That scuffle led me to his original "Ninja Fitness" thread, where the 15th dan (who was 11th dan in 2011) took part in an even bigger, 500+ post flame war defending his line of Booj-style fitness videos.

There is some serious Booj vs. Booj infighting going on now for at least 4 years between these same folks; people taking exception to his rank and some Boojer even claiming "His real skill level is about 2nd kyu." Ouch.

There's never been a shortage of Takamatsuden infighting. And Booj infighting has gotten steadily worse over the last ten years. This is all a mere preamble to the horrible Bujinkan meltdown that's coming when Hatsumi shuffles off the mortal coil. I'm not sure we can imagine the number and volume of the cries, "I have the realz ninjutsu" that's coming.

(BTW, everyone knows I've got the Real Ninjutsu. (TM))

I'm going to have to read that thread now...

EDIT: I've read a bit. I see Hannibal is posting, so there's a Bully in the mix. My favorite quote so far is: "Ninjutsu, the only art where the flame wars are more violent than the training."

There is some serious Booj vs. Booj infighting going on now for at least 4 years between these same folks; people taking exception to his rank and some Boojer even claiming "His real skill level is about 2nd kyu." Ouch.

That scuffle led me to his original "Ninja Fitness" thread, where the 15th dan (who was 11th dan in 2011) took part in an even bigger, 500+ post flame war defending his line of Booj-style fitness videos.

And who's this Please Reality guy? His username sounds like a OXY(gen-sucking)MORON due to the fact that nearly all Hatsumi videos defy reality. I found a copy of a Tai Kai said to be the first ever, held at Yumoa Mura, and it's still the stupid attack.

And a 15th dan calling HIMSELF shihan? They just bandy away the titles now, do they.

Something I've realized after some reading: the instructors can grade up to 4th dan. The very first rank Hatsumi gives out is 5th dan. Thing is, that dan symbolizes that you are eligible to TEACH. And how does Hatsumi test that? You guys probably know the answer.

Asking all BJK'ers: is there any skill test AFTER 5th dan? or is it true that it's awarded each time you visit, just for that? I mean, is there no QUALITY TESTING at all?